MUMBAI, July 21 -- The Mumbai Suburban District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC) has approved Rs.45 crore for the Bhandup Bird Park project, an eco-tourism facility planned inside the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, state cultural affairs minister and Mumbai Suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar announced on Monday. Officials said the project will also house India's first AI-enabled bird detection and monitoring system at an eco-tourism destination, allowing real-time bird monitoring, species identification and biodiversity documentation. The proposed park is expected to be completed in one-and-half or two years. The project will come up on 20.09 hectares of land near the Bhandup Pumping Station, with only 0.35 hectares earmarked for eco-friendly visitor infrastructure to minimise environmental impact. The proposed park will include a 2.16-km mangrove nature trail, bird observation points, viewing decks, watchtowers, a butterfly garden, a jetty and a Nature Interpretation Centre, along with other visitor facilities. The Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, a Ramsar site, supports mangroves, wetlands and salt marshes and is home to around 250 species of resident and migratory birds. The state government said the project has already secured approvals from the required authorities....